Pineapple
Pineapple is a tropical fruit with a tough, spiky skin and sweet-tart, juicy yellow flesh, used fresh, grilled, or cooked into both sweet and savory dishes across tropical and global cuisines.
How to buy
Judge ripeness by fragrance and weight rather than color, since pineapples don't ripen much further after picking and skin color can vary by variety -- a ripe one smells sweet and tropical at the base and feels heavy for its size. Avoid any with soft, dark, mushy patches or a fermented smell. A leaf that pulls easily from the crown is a commonly cited sign of ripeness, though it's not fully reliable on its own.
How to store
Whole pineapple keeps at room temperature for a day or two, or up to five days refrigerated, though refrigeration can dull its aroma over time. Once cut, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within three to five days. Pineapple freezes extremely well cut into chunks, making it a popular choice for smoothies straight from frozen.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Bright, sweet-tart, and distinctly tropical, with acidity that balances its sugar content more than in many other sweet fruits. Grilling or roasting caramelizes the natural sugars, mellowing the tartness and adding a smoky-sweet depth that pairs especially well with savory, salty, or spicy foods.
- Texture
- Juicy and fibrous, with a core that's tougher and less sweet than the surrounding flesh. Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, which is why it's used as a natural meat tenderizer and why it can make the mouth feel slightly raw after eating a lot of very ripe fruit raw.
- Aroma
- An intensely sweet, tropical fragrance that's one of the strongest cues for ripeness -- a pineapple with little to no smell at the base is usually underripe.
How to prepare
- Cored and sliced — Cut into rings, spears, or chunks for eating fresh or adding to fruit salads.
- Grilled — Sliced and charred briefly to caramelize sugars, a classic pairing with ham or savory skewers.
- Used as a meat tenderizer — Crushed or juiced and added to marinades briefly, where bromelain breaks down tough fibers.
- Cooked into salsa — Diced and mixed with chile, lime, and herbs as a bright, sweet-spicy topping.
- Candied or dried — Simmered in sugar syrup or dehydrated into chewy rings for snacking and garnishes.
Classic dishes
American
- Hawaiian pizza — Pizza topped with pineapple and ham, a sweet-savory combination invented in Canada but strongly associated with Hawaiian-style toppings.
- Pineapple upside-down cake — Caramelized pineapple rings baked into the bottom of a buttery cake, then inverted.
- Pineapple upside-down ham — Baked ham glazed and studded with pineapple rings, a mid-century American holiday dish.
Mexican
- Tacos al pastor — Marinated, spit-roasted pork topped with charred pineapple for a sweet contrast to the spiced meat.
- Pineapple salsa — Diced pineapple mixed with chile, lime, and cilantro as a bright topping for grilled fish or tacos.
- Pineapple salsa verde for fish tacos — Pineapple blended into a tangy green salsa served over grilled fish tacos.
Chinese
- Sweet and sour pork — Battered fried pork tossed in a tangy-sweet sauce with pineapple chunks and bell pepper.
- Pineapple and shrimp stir-fry — Shrimp stir-fried with pineapple chunks in a light sweet-savory sauce.
Thai
- Pineapple fried rice — Rice stir-fried with chunks of pineapple, shrimp, and curry powder, often served in a hollowed pineapple shell.
Caribbean
- Piña colada — A blended cocktail of pineapple juice, coconut cream, and rum, a Puerto Rican classic.
- Grilled pineapple skewers — Pineapple chunks threaded on skewers and grilled until caramelized, often alongside jerk meats.
- Pineapple salsa with jerk chicken — Charred pineapple salsa served alongside spicy jerk-seasoned chicken for a cooling contrast.
Filipino
- Rendang nanas (pineapple curry) — Pineapple cooked into savory, spiced stews in parts of Southeast Asia for a sweet-sour balance.
- Pineapple fried rice (nasi goreng nanas style) — Fried rice brightened with pineapple chunks, a common variation across Southeast Asian home cooking.
- Pineapple tarts — Small pastries filled with sweet, cooked-down pineapple jam, popular across Southeast Asia during holidays.